The Viet Minh
The Viet Minh was a Vietnamese revolutionary group who tried to separate from french control. The Viet Minh was led by the communist leader, Ho Chi Minh. The group attempted to fight for individuals right to have open political beliefs. Later in 1943 the general leading the Viet Minh, Vo Nguyen Giap, started using guerrilla war tactics against the Japanese and eventually prevailed with the Japanese surrender.
"The French have fled, the Japanese have capitulated, Emperor Bao Dai has abdicated. Our people have broken the chains which for nearly a century have fettered them and have won independence for the Fatherland. Our people at the same time have overthrown the monarchic regime that has reigned supreme for dozens of centuries. In its place has been established the present Democratic Republic." This quote from the Vietnamese declaration of independence shows that Japanese occupation ultimately led to the strengthening of the Vietnamese nationalistic pride and led the people to thinking that they could not be beaten.
Once the Viet Minh had freed themselves from the Japanese, the french attempted to regain control of the region. This led the tired Viet Minh army into another gritty gorilla war with the french in battles such as Dien Bien Phu in 1954 which ended the struggle in Vietnamese victory.
"The French have fled, the Japanese have capitulated, Emperor Bao Dai has abdicated. Our people have broken the chains which for nearly a century have fettered them and have won independence for the Fatherland. Our people at the same time have overthrown the monarchic regime that has reigned supreme for dozens of centuries. In its place has been established the present Democratic Republic." This quote from the Vietnamese declaration of independence shows that Japanese occupation ultimately led to the strengthening of the Vietnamese nationalistic pride and led the people to thinking that they could not be beaten.
Once the Viet Minh had freed themselves from the Japanese, the french attempted to regain control of the region. This led the tired Viet Minh army into another gritty gorilla war with the french in battles such as Dien Bien Phu in 1954 which ended the struggle in Vietnamese victory.
Vietnamese Nationalism
- The Viet Minh formed through the occupation of Japanese and French armies. Through many tough victories the Vietnamese army created the precedent that they will not be pushed around.
- The constant victories of the Viet Minh had the Vietnamese people believing they had one of the best armies in the world which led to them being a national treasure and a huge source of pride.
- As the Viet Minh helped the peasants by stealing food and ambushing malicious Japanese soldiers, the Vietnamese people came to respect and support the communist regime.